Unable to express oneself - impairing my life.

[Manny]

I have this problem where I am unable to express my feelings in front of others to the degree, my anxiety will rise because I need to express it but its literally not physically possible. It gets extremely bad. I went to get help finally with certain things going on in my life, and the psychologist simply said that I seemed fine, and that since i wasn't talking much (20 minutes into my apt) that it would probably be best to just make a check up apt in a month... Arent psychologists suppose to wait out the silence a bit? Not give up on me? This was only the second session... And I know it's because I am not capable of expressing the emotion.. that it looks like I have it all together, but as soon as i leave the presence of other people.. nothing is together... and I can't always do this alone...

So if professionals are even fooled by me... who can help me?

What causes this?? ... It's not that I don't know what I'm feeling, cause I do, exactly... but I can't express it in the presence of others... even when i need to.

Manny (I'm a girl)...

[nervy-paul]

I have had, and still do to a degree, have a similar problem. When I began seeing a counsellor many years ago, I was terrible at speaking with them, even then it was just the odd sentence here and there, it wasn't until I went back the second time, after a few years, that - after time of getting comfortable and used to the idea of talking of emotions and feelings - I was able to open up and talk about personal stuff.
Even the last time I was there a few years ago again, their were certain things I couldn't talk about and they decided I wasn't ready to talk and my counselling ended. I dunno if any of that helps at all. One thing I find helpful is to just write my feelings down. When something builds and builds and is going round in your head day after day, write it down - just to get it out of your head, it does help.
I know what you mean about impairing your life, it does, but your not alone.

Paul